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Brilliant outdoor toy for Pre-schoolers/toddlers

One of my sons were lucky enough to receive the Little Tikes Police Car for his Birthday a couple of years ago.It's very similar to the popular Cosy Coupe by little Tikes, with it's bubble car shape and swing open door on one side to get in and out.Our version of this car is in blue - it's now manufactured in black.**The car**The car itself is a bubble shape, it has a moulded seat inside with a black steering wheel (this actually works) with a red squeaky hooter in the middle. It has a key that spins around and a walky talkie that requires a battery and makes noise when pressed. It has the police lights on the top which are decorative only.

One side of the car has a big swing open door, which makes it really easy to get in and out of the car, even for very little ones. I'm a big believer that lots of practice getting in and out of the car helps learn about balance and co-ordination when first learning to walk and move around.It moves by scooting along with the feet, there's a nice big gap for feet to hang below the car. Very little ones might struggle with this and prefer just to sit and play with the steering wheel, hooter etc.

**Durable**This car lasts! Its stayed outside in all weathers (not been protected by a shed) and after 2.5 years hasn't faded. The only thing that's effected is the electrical walkie talkie in the car - which has stopped working. Otherwise the steering and everything else works perfectly. It's certainly taken some knocks and hard going play from my active boys but is still in good order.

**Assembly**This was a total mission! We had to rope in our car mechanic brother in law to lend a hand, even he had to admit it wasn't an easy job. It came in a massive box but that was mainly due to the molded body, all the parts needed to be assembled. If this is a present I'd highly recommend assembling it first, otherwise you'll have an excited child bobbing around while you try to assemble - extra pressure and all that. I've dropped a Dooyoo star for this reason.

**Availability**This car came from Toys R Us - it was a present from family. It's still available there and on Amazon for around £44.99.

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Love this car and now it comes in so many different forms, its great!!

When my 1st Grandson was first born I promised myself that I would be buying a Little Tyke Coupe Car for our garden ( much to hubbies horror, as the grass was just recovering from having our 5 children creating havoc on his beloved grass all those years ago!!). So I was really excited when I saw that there was now a Police Car version, my children had so much fun with their one, I had to purchase it there and then. Luckily for me Tesco where doing their double up clubcard points, so I changed up my £30 vouchers to get £60 in return.

When I got home I was a bit surprised that the car looked so much smaller than I remembered it. Maybe being that this one was black and white, not the red and yellow that I remembered. Still being very easy to put together, just needing a scewdriver and hammer for a couple of bits. Next the stickers go on ( Police, 911 and the dashboard stickers).

Well all I had to do now was wait for my grandson to get old enough to use it, time flew by and we were ready to put him into the car. Now this is so good as it comes with a removable floor, so for the first few months we kept the floor in as he could easily fall through to to ground. Next open the half size swing door and once grandson was inside we shut the door and slide the red lock across so that he couldn't fall out by pushing the door open while we were pushing him about.

With a little red button on the steering wheel that he could push to make a beep beep noise and a blue plastic key in the ignition, we were ready to go on our trip around the garden. He loved it and insisted that we pushed him over and over again. Behind the driver there is a small moulded shape that could hold a ted or better still his bottle of squash.

As he got older he could drive the car himself with the floor removed, but still insisted that we pushed!Now my other Grandson is old enough to use the car, which he really loves and it is the first thing he crawls to when I have him every week. His favourite game is getting in the car closing the door, then getting out the car and closing the door, I'm not lying when I say that he must do this at least 50 times non stop!!

With the floor firmly back in place, I now at the moment take him into the garden so that I can pick some apples which I give to him so he can put them on the floor, then I push him back to the kitchen where he hands them up to me.

I would just like to point out that you do have to be very careful when you use this car with little ones, as it can be dangerous if not used properly. My grandson was playing in another one of these cars somewhere else when the person pushing him around had taken the floor out and managed to catch his feet under the car and while they pushed him he recieved very bad carpet burns on the tops of his feet ( Which I was not happy about!!!). Just commonsense is needed really!.

When I purchased this car it was around the £50 mark and I don't think it has changed much in price since, if you shop around. This Police car is very sturdy and robust and I can see many years of it in use ( poor Hubby!)

I'm now waiting to see if in the future I have a Grandaughter, then I shall be going straight out to purchase a "Pink Princess" one!!!

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A fab take on the original Cozy Coupe

Little Tikes have been making their Cozy Coupe cars for years; usually seen in the red/white/yellow/blue combinations, every so often Little Tikes will release something a little different from the norm such as this cute little police car. It's used jointly between my son and youngest daughter now, but was originally Hollie's when we bought it in 2010 - it just happens that Hollie has outgrown the car at just the right time for her little brother to start clambering into it!

The car needs some assembly when new, it's quite straightforward with large chunky pieces and very little 'fiddly' work though. The main irritation is, as ever, the stickers that bring the plastic shell of the car to life as the very curved design of the car makes it even more awkward than usual - I'm completely useless at this job and after filling one of the large 'Police' stickers with bubbles I gave up and handed everything over to Mark to complete the assembly.

I remember when I first saw a Cozy Coupe I assumed it was going to be either battery powered or a pedal car, but in fact it's neither - instead the child controls the car with foot-power by sitting on the seat and 'walking' along the floor Fred Flintstone style. The height to the seat is around 18cm, which makes the minimum age of eighteen months about right so that toddlers of this age can reach the floor comfortably enough to be able to push themselves along. My son is sixteen months old, but considering he almost reaches his four year old sisters shoulder the height of the car is ideal for him already - obviously children should always be supervised when playing outside (or inside for that matter) so it didn't seem worth waiting the extra couple of months for David to reach Little Tikes recommended age.

The front wheels swivel all the way around so getting the car to go where you want it to is quite easy; it took David a couple of days to suss out that 'steering' was done in a very similar way to his other (smaller) ride-on cars, but once he realised the car would go pretty much in whichever direction he 'walked' he was fine. He's only just started walking within the last couple of weeks but was able to control both speed and direction very quickly, it obviously helps that he's tall as his feet are stable to the ground but it does take a certain amount of dexterity too!

To get into the car you swing open the small door and simply step in, I've found it's possible for more boisterous kids to climb in and out through the window but this can be a bit dangerous as any weight on the body of the car can make it tip over. It's a very sturdy and stable car when it's being used properly, don't get me wrong, but you need to watch for kids hanging off the sides or otherwise unbalancing it. The door is attached brilliantly and despite being opened and closed literally hundreds of times it's still snug to the frame and doesn't have a hint of a wobble. This is true of the wheels too; the car has been bumped and crashed numerous times, but none of the wheels have been knocked off kilter and control of the car is as tight as ever. The steering wheel moves and does help to direct the car slightly, most of the control is done with the feet though - I've noticed that David doesn't even hold onto the steering wheel half of the time and it still goes where he wants it to!

The seat is fairly wide; Hollie and David can both fit in it at the same time, although when Hollie has her four year old friends over it can be a bit of a squeeze if two of them decide they want to ride the car together. This isn't so much to do with the width of the seat though, it's more because four feet won't fit properly through the hole at the bottom of the car - and when the kids do work out how to get their legs through the gap it's almost painful watching them bicker about which direction to take! There's a little safety point about letting an older sibling take the little one for a spin in the Coupe, David had his toes scraped recently after putting his feet down while Hollie was 'walking' the car faster than usual. It would be the same if a child pushed their friend too hard in the car too, although despite the small handle attached to the back of the car nobody in this house ever seems to feel the need to push it anywhere - why bother when you have willing kids to move it around?

Inside the car is a police radio which makes wailing siren sounds when you press the button, this has obviously been designed with little hands in mind as the button is responsive and chunky - again to use David as an example, he realised what the button was straightaway and has never had a moments problem with pressing it to create the siren noises. I find this the most irritating aspect of the car as I really hate 'nee-naw' or screamy sounds, in fact I was hoping the batteries would die quickly and have been unpleasantly surprised to find the same ones are still going strong after almost two years! This is a nice addition to the car, obviously David doesn't know what the police are yet but Hollie likes to talk into the radio when her dolly has been doll-napped and understands the link between the radio and the design of the car.

Durability? Come on! It's a Little Tikes Cozy Coupe, it's going to last forever! With four children I've owned a few of these cars and I know for a fact that they're all still going strong at various friends houses and playgroups, they should make bomb shelters out of these cars because they're practically indestructible! Sometimes the plastic panel on the side will dent in slightly, but usually a bit of pushing and prodding will make it pop back into shape again - talking generally, when the Cozy Coupes are a few years old the dents become harder to pull out but if stored outside (as these usually are) weather fading will have begun to occur by then so the brand new sparkle will be lost anyway. I think a few dents add character!

The maximum weight range is 40kg, but as I think this is roughly the age of a ten year old I doubt you'll ever have to worry about it. I think this would be for safety and non-collapse issues as I honestly can't see many nine or ten year olds wanting to play in a car like this in their home environment, although they're very popular in special needs schools so in that case the weight limit would need to be more thoroughly referred to.

The Little Tikes Cozy Coupe Police Car costs around £50, similarly priced to others in the range. It's gender neutral but in my opinion is more suited to boys based on the design of the car, Hollie is a very girly girl and I think deep down she'd have preferred the pink glittery Coupe but ended up with this one through a crazy twist of fate - she made up for it with her bike though, that's pink and glittery!

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A fab toy!

We bought this for my son's 2nd birthday about 18 months ago......without doubt the most played with toy we have ever bought!

It was on offer at the time in Argos for about £35 which is about £15 less than the usual RRP. It comes in a reasonably sized box which could easily fit in the boot of the car.

The major downside with the car was the amount of time it took to build. Easily 2 hours for myself and my husband to build it. We only took it out of the box the night before his birthday thinking it would take only a few minutes to slot it all together.....2 hours later and after several arguments......it was built. The main issue was the amount of screws and bolts needed, the rubbish instructions and the inflexibility of the material which meant some of the screws were difficult to fit. After the blood, sweat and tears or building it, you then have a GIANT sheet of stickers to attach to the car! Little Tikes make you work for your son/daughter's fun!!!!

Anyway, that's basically the ONLY negative thing about the car. When my son saw it he was sooooooo made up! Put it this way, we kept it indoors for about 2 months (as his birthday is in January) and he was rarely out of it! And since it's been in the garden it is played with all the time. My daughter is almost 4 and she still plays with it, as do lots of her friends.

The little tikes car has door one one side which can also lock shut for small toddlers (so they don't fall out) and also whilst older toddlers and children can move the car along with their feet (Fred Flintstone style) their is a little platform that can be put in the car for younger children to keep their feet in so the parent can push them along.

There is also a space at the back of the car to store drinks/crayons/stones.....whatever your son/daughter can lay their hands on!!!!

In summary, a fab, fab toy that will last 3+ years!

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Watch out, the police are on the way.

My mum has a fondness for buying huge toys for my children so where possible i try to encourage her to buy outdoor play equipment. My boys love being outside, and there is the advantage that there is less clutter in the house. When my littlest son was 18 months old, she bought him this police coupe car.

The coupe car is something that has been around for absolute donkeys years, and although the basic car has never changed you can get some great special editions nowadays such as this little police car, which only adds to the fun.

I remember being about 8 and being jealous of smaller children having these cars. My brother is also 12 years younger than me, and he had a lot of fun in the original coupe car when he was about 4. As he is going to be 21 this year, it was a while ago.

My nephew (now aged 10) had also had this car, so i knew buying the car for my littlest would be a good investment that would last many years. These cars are pretty indestructible unless you have some kind of devil child who tries to take everything apart.

This car came in a huge box in pieces, and needed the wheels, top and steering added. The stickers also needed to be carefully placed by an adult, and batteries adding to the little police radio in the car, which sits in a slot right next to the wheel. The car was then ready for action. Entry is through a door in the side of the car. The seat is big enough to hold children up to being about 8 i would say. My 7 year old nephew can still sit in theirs, although a bit more scrunched up than the 2, 4 and 5 year olds. The steering wheel offers some control in the direction in which you go, but really, you could go anywhere, and when they get used to the shuffling of the feet Fred Flintstone style necessary for motion, they can get a little bit of speed up.

We really rate this car. The only downside is that all children want to go in it at the same time, so it is hard to get them to share it fairly. I guess if money were no object they could have one each, but where would you keep them?

The only thing that concerns me is that one of the bigger kids have pushed one of the littler ones in it, and they get their feet stuck as they don't move as quick as the car. We have also seen it tipped when they have tried to get out the window rather than the door. (Boys will be boys.)

My 7 year old nephew also filled theirs with water via the hosepipe. He was only filling it up with petrol so it would go. I have also seen my two put gravel and grass in theirs, so you do have to watch what your little monkeys are up to.

In my garden as well i have two levels in the garden. They play on the upper area, and i have to watch they don't get near the steps as they would soon topple down if they went even a little way over.

Batteries have lasted really well in the radio handset. It makes a realistic police siren noise through this. Although this car isn't used every day, it is now been in action for over a year.

We have stored this indoors in a garden shed, and it has stayed looking really nice. If it were left outdoors i could imagine you would soon end up with problems with the radio handset on this version, and there are some metal parts on the wheel axle and steering wheel parts. The plastic would also probably fade in the sun.

The coupe car design on its own is highly commendable, but make it into a police car, and you have added a lot of extra role play fun. Any little boy or girl would be thrilled to own a coupe car. Its amazing how long they will sit in these things. Tiddlers might need pushing around until they get used to the foot action needed to motor along, but once they get it, get out of the way and let them get on with it.

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Brilliant toy that is well worth the money

Bought from a large store Mothercare (the smaller ones do not stock) for £55.00 in 2009.

The Little Tikes police car is a great investment toy for any child.We purchased this for my sons 2nd birthday - and it went down a treat!

The product had to be assembled, which my partner did rather quickly (having a little trouble with the wheels) and stickers placed on after.

The car has the standard squeaky horn button, as with most cars of this kind, and also had a hand held microphone which makes police siren sounds when pushed. It is worth noting that the flashing lights are actually on the hand piece (i presumed the lights on top of the car flashed, but they do not).

The car is made of hard plastic as with most garden toys therefore extremely durable and hard wearing. It has endured a few scuffs from rough play over the past 2 years, but is still in great condition.

My son is now 4 and still fits in comfortably, i expect it will be another year before it becomes too small for him to use. He shares his car with his younger brother. It is there favourite garden toy which they often fight over!

The car has kept my children entertained for many hours. It helps with imagination / motor skills and co-ordination. The product is definitely a must buy!

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tough new addition to the brilliant little tykes range

we purchased this for my grandson and he is absolutely thrilled with it. the foot-powered aspect of it is brilliant as both my grandson and his bigger brother can both get lots of excersise whilst havingat the same time having fun. two children can fit in at the same time, or one can push, meaning no arguements. the sounds are very realistic, as is the microphone and flashing lights. as with all the little tikes toys this is extremely hard wearing and will stand up to many years play. ijt is very stable and there are no worries about it tipping over if play gets too rough. it is sturdy enough to leave outside in all weathers. i would certainly recommend this new addition to the little tykes to any parents or even grandparents. my grandsons love it as do their numerous cousins. price wise it is not expensive either

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a great investment

This is such a great toy, we bought it for my son for christmas when he was 18mths and he still uses it daily now and he has just turned 3. Only problem is my daughter is also arguing with him now as she wants a go.

Is the same style as the coupe car, however a lot more exciting as in the style of a police, with lights on top and a microphone which has its own holder and attached to a piece of cord, where they can pretend to talk on the radio or press the buttons on it to hear the siren noises.

We actually got quite a good bargain as got it in the sale from mothercare and paid £39.99. We got it out christmas eve to put together and i dont know whether my father and partner or useless or whether it was hard to put together but it took them hrs to do it. The only easy bit seemed to be putting the stickers on.

When it was finished it looked great though and couldnt wait to see his face, especially as we had bought him a police costume to go with it. Needless to say he loved it and spent all day xmas day and infact the next couple of weeks just sat in it with his finger on the siren. It was a while before he figured out how to move it himself as his legs were not strong enough, as to get it to move in the right direction because of the swivel wheels is difficult. But he soon got the hang and was no stopping him. This is probally one of the most used toys we have. He is tall for 3 but still plenty of room for growth so imagine plently more play yet.

The only thing I found slightly disappointing for the price, is that I expected the lights on top to actually flash, however they are just made of shiny paper inside to reflect, and would of been much better if actually flashed.

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great for kids to have some playtime fun

This toy is fab !! Believe me if i couldn fit in it to have a go i would...thats if my son would let me.We bought this car in august as a present for my almost 2 year old as every friends house we have been to seems to have some sort of car for the garden and he loved them .....so off we went round looking for the original version of this toy which is the red and yellow car called the coupe when instead we stumbled across this one.

This is the little tikes police car, same style as the original coupe but in black & white plastic with some police style stickers to apply to the car.It also comes with a police radio that with the press of a button makes seven different siren type sounds.Its very easy to press which is nice as my son is quite little and still manages to do it just fine.Ever since we have bought this car he goes in it everyday so we think its a hit !!

We bought the car for £49.99 from mothercare, we did see it slightly more expensive in a few places but roughly £49.99 is the average price.The car does have to be assembled but comes with very clear and precise instructions and does not take hardly any time at all.

Little tikes is a reliable & well known brand name of childrens toys and you can see from the quality of the parts that the toy will go the distance which is always good to know as little hands arent always very careful.